Coalition of consumer groups opposes ESI-Medco merger

By Michael Johnsen

WASHINGTON — A coalition of consumer groups on Tuesday joined its collective voice to the number of constituents opposing the Express Scripts-Medco merger in a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, according to a report filed by Reuters.

"Health plans have distinctly different interests, and thus have not been adequate protectors of consumer concerns," they wrote in the letter addressing FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz. "As the PBM market continues to consolidate, health plans will only become less able to protect consumers. This merger will create a dominant PBM with the market power and leverage to effectively force plans into restricted networks that will ultimately harm consumers."

The coalition included the Consumer Federation of America, Community Catalyst, the National Consumers League, the National Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices and U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups.